Pat Rollins: One lure that does its job

Tuesday

Apr 24, 2012 at 3:15 AM

With rain forecast for the end of the weekend, my buddies and I had planned a day of trolling for salmon on the Big Lake. We were hoping the cool raw weather and overcast skies would help us get a couple bites. By the time we'd emptied the second thermos of coffee, we'd finally figured out a strategy that worked!

"I'm thinking that trolling spoons offers us the best chance for success," Mike said. "So go through your tackle box and pull out any spoons that you think might work."

I've always had good luck with Mooselook Wobblers, Sutton Spoons and Alpena Diamonds, so I made certain to bring along several in a variety of colors and took the time to sharpen their hooks before putting them in a small plastic box.

The next morning, I met Mike and Pete at the boat dock just as it began to brighten on the horizon. Although it wasn't pouring buckets, it was raining steadily.

"Good thing your boat has this top," Mike said as he climbed aboard the 22-footer as rain pelted the roof.

Pete fired up the engine, flicked on the overhead light and laid a map across the front seats. He had an idea about where he wanted to begin fishing, but wanted our input before heading out.

"I'm thinking about running down towards Rattlesnake and trolling back and forth right here," he said as he tapped the map with his finger. "Mike and I hit them pretty good down there a couple of times last spring."

"Yeah, we limited out there one day trolling that Mooselook Wobbler that Pat modified with pink prism tape and white paint," Mike recalled.

"Did you bring any of those lures?" Pete asked.

"Yup," I replied. "I've got more than a dozen Mooselooks in my box."

With a plan in place, we let the engine warm up as Pete poured us each a cup of hot coffee, then as I finished my cup, Pete dropped the throttle and eased us away from the docks. Once we were out of the no wake zone, he sped off towards our destination.

"Go ahead and rig up a couple of rods," he suggested as we motored across the open lake.

By the time we reached our destination, we had three rods rigged. When Pete slid the throttle into neutral, Mike and quickly began running the lines back about sixty feet behind the boat before dropping them down 30-feet deep.

"I'm gonna troll a little faster going east as I will coming back," Pete revealed. "We'll see if it makes a difference."

For the first two hours it didn't make a difference what we did, nothing seemed to work. Then, after making a long run northward and switching to some smaller gold and orange Sutton Spoons, our luck changed.

I'd just finished off the second thermos of coffee when I caught one of the outside rods pop, out of the corner of my eye.

"Go get it Mike," both Pete and I yelled at the same time.

Coffee went flying as Mike slid across the deck and pulled the rod from its holder. He quickly reeled in the slack line and in a single motion, lowered the rod tip towards the water and set the hook.

"I've got something!" he shouted as the reel began to give up some line.

I watched him tighten the drag and take his time fighting what would turn out to be a thin twenty-two inch landlocked salmon to the net.

"Good way to start things off," I said slapping my buddy a high-five. "Let's get it back in the water and see if we can get a bite for the Captain."

On the very next pass through the same water, we got another strike in just about the same location. I took the wheel and Pete bolted for the rod. At first he thought the fish had dropped the lure. Then I saw the rod tip bounce, Pete set the hook and spent the next ten minutes fighting a chunky silvery 24-inch salmon to the boat. He hit the same lure didn't he?" Pete asked.

We continued to troll and the rain finally began to tapper off. We were beginning to talk about changing locations again when Mike grabbed another rod just as it popped from the release.

"Come get it Pat!" he shouted.

"No, you're doing a fine job. Show us how it's done," I insisted.

Mike set the hook and managed to land another three-pound salmon.

When the coffee ran out, it was time to call it a day. On the way back to the docks, Pete reminded us that all three of our bites had come on the same lure, that gold and orange Sutton Spoon.

"Don't forget that lure the next time we go," Mike said with a laugh. "It made our day today."

"You can bet the next time I fish our here in the rain, that will be the first lure I try," Pete added.